Wires and Pliers Approach
by Wicked R
Summary: Having had to give up on their computer's uniqueness and having been crushed by Cameron's words, Joe becomes miserable. Gordon sympathises. Set: Middle of season finale, after Joe tells Gordon to 'ship it' (the Giant). AU after that. Pairing: Eventual Joe/Cameron
1. Chapter 1

Title: Wires and Pliers Approach

Disclaimers: Joe Macmillan doesn't belong to me. Sigh. Neither do the other characters but do I really care about those?

Genre: H/C. Traditional SICKFIC where the plot suffers for the sake of the genre. Grounded heavily in my stomach fetish.

Rating: M

Summary: Having had to give up on their computer's uniqueness and having been crushed by Cameron's words, Joe becomes miserable. Gordon sympathises.

Set: Middle of season finale, after Joe tells Gordon to 'ship it' (the Giant). AU after that.

Pairing: Eventual Joe/Cameron

Warning: Unless you like pure, unadulterated hurt/comfort for the sake of it, it's unlikely you will understand the point to this fic.

Chapter 1: Red Red Wine

Gordon Clark wasn't used to his position as co-chief company executive yet, but he was getting used to it fast. He was omitting getting clearance from Joe on a lot less issues already and after Joe's surprise giving up on further software development of the Giant, the engineer was pretty assertive he should deal with most of the remaining arising concerns by himself. He did forget to ask Joe however whether his partner wanted to employ new software developers right away for maybe their next project and how many, so he sauntered towards the other executive's office casually, like he always would these days. They had become very relaxed with each other lately, bordering what you would call friends and they certainly did not need formal arrangements to step into each other's office if they wanted to talk about something.

This time however, Gordon was stopped by Debbie, Joe's secretary, or Executive Assistant as they called it, before he could enter the closed door of the corner office his associate occupied. "I'm sorry Gordon, could you just leave him a bit. I think he's sleeping."

"Sleeping?!" The system builder was appalled. "He arrives after half past eleven and he simply goes to sleep two hours later?" Gordon asked dumbfounded, "how does that work?"

"Haven't you seen him when he got here?" Debbie spoke caringly, "he didn't look well at all and he was rather quiet too. I got him a chicken wrap, one of his usual preferences for lunch, but he made me take it out cause he said the smell was making him feel sick. I suggested he should lie down on the couch for a bit cause he looked very pale. I thought he would just wave me off but he actually just got over there and laid down. When I checked back in, it looked like he fell asleep." She frowned apologetically.

"Oh, ok. He must be ill then," Gordon concluded, "must be why he was late." Now that the woman brought it to his attention, he did remember being aware at some level that Joe was behaving fairly off in his office, subdued, slow, slouching and tired. He looked like he was going to fall over any minute.

"That's what I was assuming." Debbie concurred. "Okay, well, I'll come back later," the engineer settled.

It wasn't with the intention of speaking to Joe that he happened to be in that direction again about half an hour later, he was simply going past on the way back from the conference room where he allocated workloads to his subordinates , to do with arranging shipping of their new product. But since he was going past, Gordon called over to the secretary casually, "how is he?"

"He's up," Debbie confirmed, "I had to wake him up cause Mr. Cardiff had been phoning in constantly and I couldn't come up with any more excuses why he couldn't talk to Joe. He somehow got wind of our people disappearing and wanted assurances it won't affect projected figures. If he didn't actually own the company, one would think he wanted us to fail." The PA said apologetically. "Joe's just finished with him, you can go in," she encouraged.

Deviating from his original course, Gordon stepped into the spacious room to find the blinds half drawn and Joe still on the couch with the telephone on the floor next to him rather than by the desk. "Debbie says you're not feeling well?"

Joe acknowledged him with an affirmative "mmmm," but did not move or open his eyes. He wasn't feeling well, that was true and Gordon didn't have to know it was cause he didn't sleep one minute last night because of how upset he was by what Cameron had said or that he drank too much Grappa and Absinthe without eating anything to forget it, but it didn't work. He had made sure he had showered, used cologne and frequent bad breath lozenges not to smell of alcohol and he wanted to keep that appearance up if at all possible, depending on whether his stomach contents would cooperate staying where they were.

"Cardiff being difficult?" Gordon queried sympathetically.

"Mmmm," Joe granted him with the same answer, not in the mood to talk.

"Look, Joe," the shorter man regarded him with concern and consideration, "if you're feeling that bad, why don't you go home? And why did you even come in?"

"I thought I could function." He did at one point. He resigned to go through the motions, put the Giant to the market even though it was a poor reflection of what he would've liked his first computer to be. He thought he could ignore the smarting in his ribcage Cameron's words caused and leave it behind him. But it was sitting on his chest like a gigantic weight that crushed him and numbed his senses and will at the same time.

"Can you make it home?" Gordon queried, "or should I ask Debbie to take you?" He proposed.

"Can I just lie here for a while?" Joe solicited, "I feel quite dizzy right now." Everything felt all jumbled and crowded in his head. He couldn't think clearly, his thoughts always came full circle and arrived at him being a failure, just like Cameron reminded him.

"I'll let you rest then," the engineer turned.

"Is there anything you wanted? When you came in." The sales executive bade.

"Ah, no, it can wait till you feel better," Gordon pulled the door closed behind him, "Debbie. I think you should get him some water. And will you check on him every so often? I don't like his colour."

"Of course I would," the secretary offered, "I was worried too."

It was an article about building the Circuit Cellar Term-Mite ST Smart Terminal from a recent issue of Byte magazine that took Gordon's attention for the next hours as constructing a more intelligent video terminal had been something the engineer pondered. Thus he barely noticed when the few people who did come in to work that day had started filing out to get home at dinnertime, not till Debbie came knocking on his open door to attract his attention. "Hey. Sorry Gordon, I wouldn't mind going now if you don't mind cause I need to walk the dog but I don't know if I should leave Joe on his own. I asked if he wanted me to take him to a doctor but he's refusing. He says he just wants to sleep."

"Did he say what was wrong?" Gordon took interest.

"Not really, but he asked me for a hot compress for his belly so it's probably his stomach."

"Okay Debbie, no worries, I'll make sure he gets home," the bearded man promised, "just go."

"Thank you Gordon," the office assistant said gratefully.

Tbc


	2. Common People

Chapter 2: Common People

"Hey," Gordon ambled into Joe's office casually, hands in his pockets. He had overlooked the time a bit in the last hour and Donna was probably wondering what kept him, but he will make the excuse that he had to take Joe home. Which probably what will happen anyhow, judging by the way his partner half sat, half reclined on his couch, this time with his feet on the floor. "How is the stomach?" The engineer showed interest.

"A little better," Joe acknowledged that indeed it was his stomach that was the problem.

"Can you stand? I'll take you home. But can we take my car if you don't mind. I'm late as it is. You could just take a cab here in the morning? Or, well, not in the morning, whenever you feel better."

"I can stand, but I can't guarantee I don't puke in your car if you insist on that," Joe confessed awkwardly.

"Oh, ok. Your car then," Gordon agreed lackadaisically, "did you get food poisoning or something?"

Joe stood slowly, hand on his stomach gingerly. "Or something.." His vision swam a bit, but he was determined to make it to the door where he could use the door frame to lean on for a moment. The faintness must've been cause he didn't eat anything for the last 24hrs.

"If you don't know then you probably should see a doctor at some point," Gordon advised, getting into step with Joe. It was rather slow, but he was meaning to hover, be close in case he was needed, because his executive partner didn't look too steady on his feet.

"Yeah, sure," Joe granted, apathetic. He just wanted to get home and fall into his bed.

"Are you managing?" Gordon noticed the taller man touching filing cabinets on their way out to support himself. Joe's hung head, lack of eye contact and crouched posture was making the engineer concerned. He opened the glass door for his friend.

"Yes," Joe claimed, but he didn't look too sure. A light hand on his back, Gordon shepherded him into the elevator, stealing worried glances at him as they descended and made their way through the parking lot. Joe's car was a good choice given the circumstances as the sales expert still parked closer to the entrance, never mind their level positions in the company, and Gordon snorted at that to himself, shaking his head.

Looking for the car, it took the engineer a few moments to realise his partner was no longer trailing next to him. "Joe?" He questioned his whereabouts. He found the businessman a few cars back, leaning onto a hood, his other hand clutching at his temples. "What's wrong?" Gordon rushed to him.

"Bit dizzy," Joe admitted, trying to breathe deeply through the haze. Now that he had been moving about, his headache turned into a migraine and his stomach started cramping again. At some level, he was aware that he should eat something, but it just didn't seem important enough. He was going to get home and down some whiskey to silence his stomach and most importantly, the thoughts and memories of Cameron and how she got him stabbed in the heart spot on the night before with her insults. It felt like his life was over that moment, split in half and skewered on some Victorian fence. And it hurt the same way too.

"Could you hold onto me?" Gordon offered, "I think you would be too heavy for me to scrape off the ground so I'd rather you didn't pass out on me?" He questioned his bending over colleague. Joe nodded, but it didn't seem like a good idea balancewise. He moved his arm over the offered shoulder and let Gordon grab hold of his waist as he shifted his weight towards his associate.

"Are you ready?" The engineer asked.

"Mmmmm," came Joe's most used answer of the day as he let himself be guided the few steps to his car. Gordon didn't miss how his friends' fingers tightened around his abdomen or how he sagged even more with a half concealed moan when jostled, making it really hard for the shorter man to open the door and manhandle Joe into the passenger seat.

Rounding the car, he took the drivers' position to find his passenger leaning his head on the dash, with both arms cradling his stomach. "Joe, your seatbelt," he pressed, but seeing the other's distress, Gordon ended up leaning to the side and over him to pull the item and click it into place himself. "Joe. This is not right," he evaluated, "you really don't look well. I either take you to hospital, or I take you to my house. You shouldn't be on your own just now."

Joe turned lazy eyes at him, "I don't need a hospital."

"My place then. You're sleeping on the couch tonight," Gordon put the stick into gear. He glanced to the side for confirmation, but Joe just leaned his head on the cool window and closed his eyes. Joe couldn't quite bring himself to care where he was taken. What should he do with his life now? He could maybe start all over again from scratch somewhere else, though he didn't really have the motivation for that. It would be so much aggravation and for what, for him to fail again? What was the point to that? Was there a point to anything? If people left him alone he could just do nothing. It's not like the firm needed him for anything now that they had a product ready to go onto the shelves. It will become so blatantly obvious for everyone he was of no use if he stayed, he had no new ideas of his own, people already pointed that out at the company as well, not just Cameron. But the stray thought process stopped just there as once again, he didn't quite bring himself to care.

His stomach cramped and this time he was more sure it was asking for food rather than it being the remainder of his hangover. Joe rubbed a hand over it. He didn't want to deal with that either. A bodily function was so unimportant in the great scheme of things, of how he intended to reach for the stars and ended up mediocre as he always had been. Ended up outside a relationship when for the first time, he was really, truly, madly in love. He had begged Cameron, more than once, dragging himself in the dirt for her sake just to be ridiculed and discarded like a used glove. Why did his stomach hurt so? It was not normal. Perhaps he should've let Gordon take him to hospital, but then again, it didn't matter. He will let everything turn out how they will turn out. If he was truly sick, all the better. It will make him exempt from dealing with everything else.

Tbc


	3. Clouds Across the Moon So Macho

Chapter 3: Clouds Across the Moon So Macho

"Are you sure you don't want something to eat?" Donna offered her unexpected house guest lying listlessly on her couch, clammy and uncharacteristically very quiet. She had been quite surprised to find Joe hunched over, leaning on the front doorframe earlier, with Gordon fussing over him, especially today of all days when her husband left to work with the intent to blackmail Joe to make him drop plans of further innovations on The Giant.

"I'm very queasy," Joe refused with a small shake of the head. He knew that eating might make him feel better, but he didn't want to feel better. That would just be deluding himself. He will never be valuable, a genius visionary or appreciated even.

"Take some Pepto then at least," she handed him some of the capsule versions of the medication that he impassively accepted with a shaking hand. "Here's some water too to swallow them down with," the woman gave him a glass into his other hand, hovering till he raised it to his lips, "little sips so you don't get sick," she advised. Satisfied with his compliance, she helped with taking the glass off him and placed it on the floor next to the couch, "it's here if you need it. You wanna lie down properly?" She indicated he should put his feet up and steered them round and up at his apparent intent to shift as told. "Anything else I can get you?"

Joe pursed his lips and shook his head, "no." Would they leave him alone already?

"Just wake us up if you need anything," Donna parted, but not before placing her palm on his forehead, "you don't seem feverish. You'll probably feel better tomorrow," she encouraged, "good night Joe."

"You don't mind?" Gordon whispered when she reached him at the bottom of the stairs where he had been waiting for her to join him, "me bringing him here," he took her hand as they started climbing to their bedroom, "it's not like he has Cameron," he brought his voice down even further even though they've distanced themselves from his associate.

"I don't mind," Donna assured him, "though I won't exactly be exultant if he passes some bug on to the kids."

"It's not very likely, they aren't in the same room," her husband tried to appease her, "besides, I don't think it's something catchy. I just couldn't leave him like that and I'm still not sure he shouldn't be at a hospital instead. You didn't see him earlier in the parking lot. He wouldn't complain but I think it was his stomach that hurt so bad he couldn't walk, I had to drag him here."

"Joe is a big boy Gordon, don't you think? He will go to the hospital if he needs to. I'm guessing you went all soft on him and didn't try to force his hand today about marketing the Giant as it is." Donna settled down in their bed.

"That's the strangest thing! I didn't need to. He came to my office and told me that I was right all along."

"What a 180 change!" Donna agreed.

"Yeah. I know he wasn't well at the time, but he didn't need to leave it like that. Very uncharacteristic of him."

"Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I'll go in early, I'd better get things rolling in the morning before he changes his mind," Gordon sighed, arranging his pillow to suit. "I'm assuming he won't be in tomorrow, you've seen the state of him."

"You want me to try to keep him back if he tries to go in?" Donna offered, finding the idea rather amusing.

"Yes, but not because of that. I'm pretty sure he was definitely resigned to the Giant being released as it is. But you should stop him if he wants to come in, nobody should work when that unwell. It's Friday anyway, he has the whole weekend to recover after."

Donna turned towards her husband, intent and marvelling, "you care about him don't you?"

Gordon gestured noncommittally, "he's been all mopey and desolate since Cameron left, quite detached. And isn't just me or his voice had changed to softer?"

Donna giggled, "you definitely care. I think he's not that curt and overbearing because you became more friendly with each other. Plus he can't anymore, you dictate what has to happen with the computer. It's yours after all."

Gordon shrugged, "there's that certain self-destructive quality about him, you know, it makes you feel like he's always dangling high above, just inches from disaster."

His wife nodded, "I know what you mean. Joe's not that insufferable when you get to know him. He's very good with the kids and has a general base knowledge of most topics so you can hold a very pleasant and intelligent conversation with him when circumstances are right," she remembered hurricane night.

Gordon laughed, "yeah, I should probably try that some time," he switched the night light off by his bed and reached over to hold his wife with one hand as they settled down to sleep.

Tbc


	4. Radio Gaga

Chapter 4: Radio Gaga

With the kids dropped off at school and the groceries shopping done, Donna swept into her kitchen with a bundle of bags in both hands to set them down on the counter, noticing that Joe has sat up on the couch and was simply staring ahead. "Hey!" She started cheerfully, "I hope we didn't wake you up getting ready. I was trying to make sure the girls were quiet with their breakfasts. I was surprised myself how considerate they were though." Not receiving answer, she frowned, starting to put her foodstuffs away, "how are you feeling?...Joe?" She queried, stepping in his direction to get his attention.

He turned towards her slowly, "yes, sorry. I feel better. Thank you for your hospitality, I appreciate it."

Donna smiled. That sounded more like Joe. "What would you like for breakfast? Toast would probably be easiest on your stomach, but I could make some eggs if you'd like."

"You're right, I should probably take toast and then I should be on my way. I trust my car is still here?"

"Yes, it is, but you don't need to go," she popped some bread into the toaster, remembering her promise to Gordon the night before, "where are you intending to go anyway?"

"Unbidden guests are often welcomest when they are gone, let's be honest about it." Joe wasn't in the mood for pretend games.

Donna turned, appalled, "give us a little credit, will you! There's no need to talk like that. We don't always see eye to eye, especially with the beginning of our rapport. But tell me you wouldn't do the same for me if circumstances were reversed and I'll kick you instantly out," she established with her predilection to get straight to the point.

Her outburst managed to coax a weak smile from Joe, "I would let you stay, of course."

"Good!" She attacked the popping toaster with some ferocity to get the slices buttered for him, "do you want some more Pepto? It's up here if you need it, whenever," she indicated to a shelf just above her. "I know you said you feel better but you honestly don't look it."

"I probably need some of that," he admitted sheepishly, "about now."

"Sure," Donna snatched the item and moved to hand him it. "Is your stomach still sore?" She sat down in front of him on the table to give him her attention. "Do you even have a physician in Dallas?" His awkward, acknowledging shake of the head prompted her. "Cause if not, I could recommend some. Though most of them are paediatricians right enough," she snorted at her own lack of knowledge.

"I'd appreciate that," he gave in politely.

"I'll write you some names out after you eat. Where does it hurt?"

"Interesting." Joe peered at her guardedly. "Is this not how it feels what people call mothering?"

"Ah uhmm.." Donna contemplated, confused. Did Joe not know what mothering felt like or what was that supposed to mean? Thankfully she didn't have to answer as there was a knock at the door. She placed the plate with toast down in front of Joe on the coffee table on her way to answer it. "Cameron?" She questioned her visitor, startled. "Is it Joe you came to see?" She stepped aside so the other woman could step in.

"Joe? No. How?" Cameron responded just as confused. But by then she was walking towards the living room where she spotted her ex boyfriend sitting on the couch in a slumped manner, his long arms lying idle in his lap. He half tilted his head towards her, acknowledging her arrival, though he did not turn to see her. The young woman halted, swallowing, "oh."

"Joe was staying with us last night because his stomach was playing up," Donna explained.

"Aha." The younger woman nodded. How strange. Could Joe not nurse his stomach somewhere else? She spared him a glance and noted how pale and sick he looked. His previously still hands curled up around his abdomen now. But that had nothing to do with her, right? "Ok. Is there somewhere we could talk?" Cameron asked as downstairs seemed to be out of question.

"Sure? Follow me," Donna started up the stairs, wondering what Cameron wanted. Hopefully it was about Joe cause she had seen how heartbroken he was in Vegas. Maybe the upstairs hall was far enough for him not to hear or maybe she could lead his ex girlfriend into the kids' bedroom. By the time Donna found out the visit's purpose, had patently refused her offer to join her company, feeling offended by Cameron's possible revenge schemes and showed her the door, Joe was nowhere to be seen. The slices of toast lay untouched on the table.

tbc


	5. Holiday

Chapter 5: Automatic Make-believe

Debbie didn't question it when her boss didn't show up for work the next day, but she did ask Gordon how the night before went. She also didn't question it when Joe did appear early on Monday morning, even though he still looked a little pale and tired, notwithstanding the impeccable wardrobe and the light blue shirt that must've been new as she has never seen it before.

They were apparently back in business as Joe barked aloof orders at her all morning, doing a round call on the would be customers of the Giant to determine exact quantities and shipping schedules. Gordon stopped by, happy to see his partner around as he himself had never been comfortable doing the kind of work that involved talking to people politely for prolonged lengths of time. Instead, he disappeared into the brainstorm room with his engineers to discuss and choose between the possible accessories the Giant could be marketed with in the future, that is till Neil, one of the very few remaining coders burst in the door, "Gordon come," he urged, "Joe collapsed!"

The novice executive stuck his glasses he had been cleaning back on and dashed to the corner office to find Debbie leaning over her boss who was once again lying on his side on the couch with his eyes closed and his colour ashen. The woman was holding a presumably wet facecloth to his stomach, bare due to his shirt having been pulled out of his belt and pushed up. "What happened?" He demanded.

"I came in cause I heard him retch," she nodded towards the wastepaper basket at the other end of the desk. "I knew immediately I had to get him to lie down, he was very shaky, I had to support him. I didn't think we would make it to the couch, it was very hard to keep him upright but I guess he was conscious enough at that point to drop where he was meant to. He's breathing, I checked," she assured him, "but do you think we should call the paramedics?"

"There's nothing to see here," Gordon turned to close the door behind him on the multitude of curious workers, then stepped forward to kneel by the couch, "how long has he been like this?"

"Not long," Debbie frowned, "a few minutes before you came."

"Joe?" He tried, placing a hand on his partner's sweaty forehead, then running his fingers down to his cheek to gently pat it. "Joe." He called firmly. "Debbie, what are you doing?" He nodded towards her hand, rubbing slow circles on her boss' stomach with the washcloth, dripping wet by the looks of it.

"The only thing he said before he passed out was that his stomach hurt," the woman explained, "I could not think of anything better to help him. Do you..do you think the scars have something to do with it?" She questioned, having been shocked by them when she had pulled the shirt up.

Gordon contemplated for a quick moment. By what he knew, those were signs of life threatening injuries. Even if they happened a long time ago, there could've been long lasting consequences that never went away. "I don't know," he concluded, "just call 911. I'll watch him till then," he assured the secretary, moving to take the cloth out of her hand.

Debbie gave a hasty nod, running out and leaving Gordon alone with the ailing man. "Don't you do this to me Joe," the engineer threatened, exasperated. "I fix computers, not people," he pulled up the wet item in his hand, changing tack, and raising it to touch Joe's forehead and face with it, patting down. A moan sounding sigh from his partner encouraged him and he unbuttoned the shirt completely to help Joe breathe in that warm weather.

The businessman coughed, struggling, and it took Gordon a couple of moments to realise that he had to drag Joe's upper body higher so he didn't choke on his own vomit. Heaving, spluttering, thrashing and panting, Joe opened his eyes in panic, survival instincts taking over, to find himself in Gordon's arms, the bearded man looking down at him, probably almost as panicked as he was.

"You're ok Joe, just breathe slowly," Gordon advised, helping him settle his head onto the edge of the couch, "what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry," Joe whinged, taking in the stains of stomach acid, saliva and remains of coffee on the other's shirt.

"Well, you should be sorry," Gordon complained, "for coming into work when you should clearly be in hospital. But never mind, the paramedics are coming anyway." He seemed very worried, not paying attention to the mess on his clothes.

Joe snapped his eyes up at the developments, anxious. He could play the innocent to a certain extent, maybe even with a doctor or paramedic, they would know nothing, but if all the tests a hospital would do will be undertaken, they would probably find out that the reason for his fainting would be that apart from coffee he had not had anything that counts as foodstuff for days and the reason for his stomach ache would be the amount of alcohol he had on Friday and Saturday after Cameron's latest appearance, schemes and dismissal of him completely. He had spent Sunday trying to get himself ready for a working day, but in his precarious state the aspirin, Tylenol and caffeine was probably doing more harm than good, at least it felt like it. And just how long was it till crack cleared out the system? But he knew it would be impossible to convince anyone he didn't need medical care under the circumstances so he should probably make the best of it. Play it right, go on sickleave and then disappear somewhere quietly while no one is looking. The Cardiff plan had failed and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Do you think you could drink a little water?" Gordon suggested, regarding him frenziedly, "how is your stomach? Did you not get better at the weekend? Donna said you just left without a word."

"Water," Joe nodded. To answer the rest of the questions, he didn't have enough energy or motivation.

"I'll get it," the engineer moved. "You can clean yourself up with this," he handed Joe the washcloth, hoping he could ask someone for a clean shirt out there. He could also ask someone to stay with Joe while he got the water if Debbie was still on the phone.

Tbc


	6. Make-Believe

Chapter 6: Holiday

"Hey," Gordon greeted Joe sympathetically, "I got a few things for you from your apartment," he sat a holdall down on the chair next to Joe's hospital bed that he recognised as his own. "You don't have many casual clothes, do you?" He frowned.

"What are they saying? Any results yet?" Donna inquired. She joined her husband on the visit because she could. It's not as if she had many things to do during the day.

"They don't think it's serious. I just need to stay in till I'm rehydrated and maybe a bit for observation later," Joe allowed some insight. Thankfully, hospitals had this confidentiality policy where non-family members would not be informed about his condition, so if he wanted, he could tell them anything, even if the doctors would figure out the truth, which at the present time, they haven't so far. What the results could tell was that he was dehydrated with an electrolyte imbalance and that his stomach lining and mucous was eroded and inflamed with a cause unknown. It helped that enough time had passed for illegal substances not to show up in his urine, that he told them he couldn't eat and was vomiting, not untrue by any means, but he kept the reason for himself, and most importantly it helped that his medical files indicated that even as a young adult he used to have flare ups of inflammation in some areas of his intestines, most likely retained from the time he used to have abdominal surgery on a regular basis after his fall. So probably, if they let him out soon enough without extensive investigations, he could play on that. Not as if he didn't put his stomach under extreme strain over the last few days that gave him some scope for manoeuvre. "It's possible they'll let me out tomorrow."

"Well, don't rush it," Gordon advised, "you'll probably have to raise Debbie's earnings if you do, poor thing was so freaked out having to catch you," he teased.

"And Gordon was worried too," Donna revealed, more serious. "Do they know what it is?" She insisted on the question.

"It could be a simple stomach upset." Joe denoted, still noncommittally.

Gordon raised his eyebrows at that, "it didn't look simple to me."

"Or it could be a flare up of an old problem," he introduced the concept to lead them to believe he might be off work long term, "it will settle after my medication is adjusted, it always does. I just didn't take any for years, I didn't think I needed to," he shrugged.

"How long does that usually take to settle?" Just as he thought then? Something to do with Joe's past, Gordon theorised.

"I don't know.." Joe sighed, "I'm really sorry Gordon, I didn't mean to leave you with all the marketing and management of the launch. I will get back in as soon as possible," he promised.

"Yea, well, as I said, if you rush it, it might turn counterproductive." Gordon held, but he sounded a lot less certain than before. He was very excited about the Giant, but maybe not the prospects of doing all the nitty-gritty footwork for its introduction to the market. "Let me know if there's anything we can do to help," he offered, looking after his own interests that way, mostly. "You do look better a lot better than earlier today when we brought you in though. And that's after just a few hours in hospital," he heartened himself mostly, "I told you that you should've come earlier!"

"They gave me something for the cramps and the nausea. It makes a difference," Joe conceded.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Donna put a hand on his encouragingly and squeezed it a little, "we've got to go pick up the girls," she apologised, "but I will come in tomorrow while Gordon's at work," the currently jobless woman promised.

Tbc


	7. Ghostbusters

Chapter 7: Ghostbusters

Donna turned away from her front door she had locked from the outside and jumped, only just noticing that Cameron had walked up behind her. "Aah, you," she blew the air out she had held for a moment. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry. So, circumstances changed. I sold an interface module, or more like just the concept of it, but base line what I came for is that I could pay you now," the young programmer got straight to the point, "not a great pay, but definitely a starting sum. That should be a game changer, right?"

Donna sighed, "well. Can't say I wasn't kept up thinking about this one night after you came. It sounds so bold, which is probably what I need after the constant strenuous having to keep it together for the family of the last eight years. Now that Gordon is financially secure, I can basically do what I want."

"So you're coming?" Cameron grinned excitedly.

The currently housewife frowned, "I would love to talk about this, but the hospital just called to ask for someone to go pick up Joe. I guess Gordon must've given our home phone number at the desk."

"Joe?" The blonde gave pause to the developments, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"He got very sick. Gordon had to call the paramedics out to the office," Donna imparted.

"His stomach?" Cameron remembered from last time she was at the Clark house. Not as if she'd given it much thought since.

"Yes. It might be some flare up of a previous problem. Do you know anything about that?"

"No." The younger woman thought about it. "But I wouldn't be surprised." A child just doesn't fall three storeys and land on a fence, skewers his lungs, ribs, stomach and intestines, barely missing his heart and spends two years on a hospital bed expecting to live happily ever after without any resulting after-effects.

"So you do know something," Donna pressed.

"Just that he's had a lot of health problems in the past, except that was a long time ago," the younger woman wasn't going to give Joe's most confidential secret away.

"Look, Cameron. I don't know what is going on between you two, but if there's any chance it's just a temporary break up, now would be the time. He was a wreck after you left and now he needs someone to take care of him," the redhead tried to rectify the situation.

"So you need us to get back together so that you don't have to bring Joe home to your house again to get better," Cameron summarised.

"I can't say that's not a factor, yes," Donna allowed, "however, to my defence, I do possess compassion," she argued.

The blonde nodded, contemplating, "how bad is he?" She probed tentatively.

"I don't know exactly, I was hoping to find out more when I get there. He passed out yesterday and he couldn't keep much down since last week. He just appears very feeble just now you know? And that's not a word I would ever think of using for Joe."

"If someone's puking a lot, they can get weak and lightheaded pretty quickly," Cameron reasoned, "it doesn't mean they are necessarily very ill."

"Yeah, ok. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that he's unwell," Donna sighed and started towards her car.

"Wait. Can I come? I can maybe stay in the car while you find out how he is?"

Donna shook her head in incredulity, "and what excuse would you like me to tell him? Hey, I came to collect you but I need to step out to the car park for a minute before that, after coming from there straight?"

"Maybe not," Cameron allowed, "I will just be in the hall. All you need to say is you're popping out to the ladies?"

"I can do that if that's what you want." Donna agreed.

Tbc


	8. Reflex

Chapter 8: Reflex

"Just past here," Donna warned Cameron before rounding the door to Joe's hospital room. The women both halted to peer in, with the blonde getting bolder when it became apparent that her ex boyfriend was lying with his eyes closed, not facing her directly. Cameron frowned as her heartstrings pulled when taking in the situation. While his drip was not attached anymore so he was ready for home and he lay in casual clothes waiting to leave, it was obvious he wasn't well from his pale colour, a hand holding his stomach still and a frown of his forehead as he reclined deathly still.

The coder felt confused, she wasn't supposed to care, right? She wasn't supposed to feel like she wanted to go in and comfort him? Her heart called out for him the same way as it did on that night when he first told her what had happened to him as a child. The mastermind swallowed, "give us a few minutes?" She asked Donna, stepped forward decisively and closed the door behind her.

"Cameron?" Joe started, looking at her apprehensively.

"I heard you were sick," the girl stated, not stepping closer.

"So?" The businessman rebuffed, not wanting to hear any more of those wonderful truths his ex girlfriend had to offer on a regular basis.

"Donna asked me to help."

"Donna." He repeated. Not only was he apparently not welcome in the Clark house, but Cameron would have no inclinations to help on her own initiative. Which he had known of course, but it was another of those truths he would've preferred if it remained unspoken. They hurt enough unspoken already too. "I didn't take you for a charity buff."

"That's because I'm not. If it was anybody else than you in this situation I would've not bothered."

"I can handle myself," he pledged with his remaining dignity, "somebody had to be here for the discharge as it is a hospital rule, so let's sign what needs, walk out the door and be on our separate ways," he ascertained, moving his legs to sit up at the edge of the bed.

"Donna says you need someone to stay so you don't pass out or skip over taking care of yourself. I can work from your place, it doesn't bother me where I am. I'll get Yo-yo to bring over everything I use at the moment."

"Since when are you such an expert on taking care of people?" Joe disputed, standing up and leaning over towards the seat by his bed to collect the bag with his belongings. "You can't expect people to entertain your reluctant duty drive when you're betraying them."

"I'm not an expert," Cameron shrugged, "but I've learned from the best at arsehole academy," she smirked. "..Joe?" She stepped forward to steady him and guide him back to sit down when seeing his hand was reaching for purchase. "Are you even well enough to get out of hospital?"

"I just stood up too quickly," he excused himself.

"What's wrong with you?" Cameron sat by him, not letting go of his arm and chest, fearing he would fall forwards.

"None of your fucking business," Joe seethed, "not after last week." He would never humiliate himself in front of her the same way as before.

"Last week you were fine. What happened?"

Joe rolled his eyes at that. "Was I?"

"Okay. Don't tell me. Just do me a favour and lie back down while I go fill out the paperwork, collect your prescription and get you a wheelchair. Donna and I are taking you home," she determined.

"And then you leave me alone." The patient ascertained, but complied with her instructions of lying down. He didn't know how he should feel about her sudden appearance. He was upset, hurting, mostly, but some part of him, maybe, started to hope.

"And then I will leave you alone," Cameron shrugged. She wasn't thinking that far ahead, but there were definite, titanic limits to how much she would impose her help on anyone. Joe nodded, that hope fading to nothingness again.

Tbc


	9. Let the Sun Go Down On Me

Chapter 9: Let The Sun Go Down On Me

By the time Cameron and Donna steered him up the apartment, took his shoes and socks off, cajoled his medication and a little yoghurt into him, Joe couldn't care less about anything. He lay on his bed dejectedly, curled up, listening to the women discussing arrangements of how they would share the burden of taking care of him. They didn't use the word burden specifically, but it sounded like that's what it had to be for them. The depressed man wanted to throw them out both but he didn't feel like he had the energy so instead he just closed his eyes, made a sound attempt at drowning out their voices in his ears and fell asleep.

"Joe?...Joe, wake up," he felt some pleasantly cold material touching the side of his face. "Are you ok? You're soaking in sweat." Cameron urged him from above with gentle, but insistent strokes of the washcloth as she tried to draw his hair plastered to his forehead to the side.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, blinking up at her confused. She sounded nice.

"They told me to take your temperature if you're feeling warm. Donna brought a thermometer for that in case we need it."

"When?" He sat up, disoriented. It was dark outside.

"She came back couple of hours ago? Brought us dinner. I already ate mine," she seemed apologetic, "I hope you're up for yours. A little mashed potatoes and chicken, without spices. Do you think your stomach could handle it?"

Joe shook his head. His stomach felt fine, but he didn't want to eat. Sounded like too much hassle and rather pointless of a venture. "Okay," Cameron established patiently, "we can try later after you had a shower. You can't lie about it wet clothes like that," she frowned. It wasn't like Joe at all not to care what he had on. "Do you think you can get in if I help?"

He raised his head at that, his attention caught from regarding the floor by his bed where Cameron's home computer and a good number of strewn about pieces of paper lay, covered in writing. "Into the shower?" In there with her, it didn't sound too bad.

"Yeah," the prodigy smiled, catching his sudden interest. Cameron drew him to the side of the bed, "let's get this off first," she unbuttoned his shirt and helped him discard it while he looked at her curiously. "I would rather you didn't fall in the bathroom," the blonde warned as she pulled him to his feet and manoeuvred herself under his arm to keep him steady.

"I can walk," Joe discouraged her somewhat irked, yet her concern felt like it was warming his heart, it just didn't make sense given the current state, or non-state of their relationship.

"I'm all sweaty now as well because you are," the young woman complained, leading him to the shower curtains.

Joe wanted to say the obvious, that she should shower too, but they weren't on good enough terms for that. None of this made sense. Had she not discarded him as useless trash? It was all so confusing for his dizzy head. Does he always have to fall for her ruses and artifices? Does Joe Macmillan not have his dignity? "I don't want your pity," he established decisively, head held high. "I want you to go on, be successful, invent the future and be happy with it. You can't even stop it, it will find you itself with the ideas you have. But can you do that somewhere else? I'm not sure I could deal with it."

"My future was never supposed to be a threat to you," Cameron dismissed, adjusting the water temperature to find the one she knew he liked, but gave him a side glance, "are you planning to shower with your trousers on?"

"No," the tall man said, but it wasn't an answer to his question. "I don't want fake guarantees. You should just go and leave me alone."

"Joe, please," the woman sighed, concerned that his hand had to find purchase on the sink, "a shower is simple. You get undressed, the water washes you down, the soap is optional. Then you get out." She was getting nervous now. Joe had always been complicated, but can he get so complicated that he's unable to get a shower at this time?

"I can't play this game," he shook his head. It wasn't like he had the energy for any of this. Can't she leave him to die alone?

"I just want to see you well," Cameron tried to assure him with her answer. She stepped back to him and unzipped his trousers with her wet hands and let them slip down his knees, the manhood she knew so well bouncing and she did so.

"Why?" Exhausted and spent already, he let her lead him into the shower booth.

"Because what kind of person would I be if I didn't?" The woman rolled her eyes. "Would it not be safer if you sat down or knelt down?"

"I can stand," Joe insisted stubbornly, taking the shower head.

"Yeah, okay." The blonde was still patient with him. That was new too. "I'll just have to wait here then," she turned down the toilet cover and sat to linger.

"Are you just gonna watch me or what?" A marginal amount of teasing slipped into his voice. The businessman dispensed some shower gel onto his chest and shoulders. The water was the temperature he usually liked, but this time the steam wasn't helping his light-headedness.

"You lost weight," Cameron stated. She had always enjoyed the view of him, but her concern for him was greater for the moment.

"Hhuh?" And here he thought at least his body pleased her. His dazed mind was unable of comebacks and she was the only one who had repeatedly rendered him speechless. If he wanted to be honest to himself, Joe admired her for it, but it hurt all the same. He paused, concentrating on steadying himself, rather than thinking or washing himself. The showerhead fell out his hands.

Vigilant green eyes sharpened and Cameron's clothes were off in a flash. "Don't you dare pass out!" She circled his waist with her arms, skin on skin, impossibly close.

"I won't," he promised, breathing deep with intent to clear his head. Knowing she couldn't take his whole bulk, he used both the walls and her shoulders for support.

"Joe!" She panicked when his eyes closed, but he only dropped his head onto the top of hers, dripping wet curls sprinkling her hair. If at all possible, she tightened her grip.

"Just give me a moment like this," he breathed into her ear.

Cameron indicated her agreement with a squeeze of his back. She had been worried, but he seemed to have been holding most of his weight on his own feet and now that she had time to take in all the impressions and perceptions invading her senses, the enticing feel of his body against hers, an intense sensual delicacy she had always treasured, familiar, and bringing back memories, tactile, emotional, bodily. A need, an imprint hard to ignore.

A few moments, a needy eternity later Joe withdrew himself slowly and she looked up at him to see if he was well and able. What she saw instead was misty eyes she couldn't quite place. Not wavering without purchase, he looked steady and the wetness could've been the shower water, but somehow she knew that wasn't it. Cameron wasn't sure with what, but she had reduced him to tears again, well done. And then she couldn't take it anymore. She launched forward and gripped him round once more, but to pull his lips down to hers firmly.

There was no resistance. His lips parted instinctively and he bit hers, invaded her mouth, savoured her tongue in well oiled patterns. They fit like a glove the way they made love. Senses switched gears as soon as he seized her hips against him, brain switching off from troubling itself with following up escaped thoughts. The only rational thought Cameron allowed was taking his current, weakened physical condition into account so the reflex of having been lifted and being fucked against a wall had to be abandoned and she pushed him down instead next to the shower and onto the mats and then she let the intensity of their lovemaking wash over her and drown her.

Tbc


	10. Time After Time

Chapter 10: Time After Time

His temperature measured, him cleaned, medicated, well fed and watered for the first time in weeks, tummy rubbed and virtually tucked in, Joe was lying contented and ready to doze off in his bed when he heard Cameron talking on the phone. He wasn't entirely sure if it was Donna or Yo-yo she was speaking to, but it was clear she considered Joe on the mend and was making plans for as soon as the next day that she wanted to spend perambulating looking for a telephone company that was good enough for the data transfer system she had in mind. Not spending it with him despite saying earlier she could work from anywhere. Donna would pop her head in instead to check on him. When was she planning to tell him this? Oh wait, never, as Cameron always did her own thing. Now that they weren't completely parted, she would probably come round whenever she needed a fuck for inspiration or stimulation, but he shouldn't expect the fine and considerate treatment he had part of while she was playing nurse. Probably some ultimate truths and a cold shoulder instead, of which Joe had no inclination to partake. Cameron was only nice to him when he was sick, so that meant he had to stay sick, at least for a day or two. He wasn't ready to give up on her making a fuss of him just yet.

Joe waited till she moved with phone in hand to an area where she could see him, then placed a hand on his stomach and dashed into the bathroom, bending over as he darted. He made sure he closed the door and shoved a couple of fingers down his throat till he gagged and threw up all the willingly consumed dinner and medicine. It made him lightheaded it a little. His body had been tricked into thinking it got a supply of the omitted nutrients it had needed for days and then it was all abruptly taken away. No matter, it was better if he actually looked the part of being ill.

"Joe are you ok? Do you need help?" Cameron's apprehensive voice came from the other side.

"I'll be out in a minute." Joe groaned. He had to think fast. Something that would keep his stomach upset. He opened the cabinet, rummaged through the pills till he found the laxatives and took a few, noticing how in appearance they looked very similar to the anti-inflammatories that were meant to settle his non-existent flare up. Nobody would spot the difference, as genius as Cameron is, it's not something she would think of. So any time somebody insisted on him taking his medication, they would essentially be giving him emetics. He should be sick for quite a while, unless he decided to stop it. Satisfied with his master plan, Joe flushed the toilet so the rattle of pills could not be heard when he swapped them, then task well accomplished, he placed a hand on his stomach again and meandered out, dropping into bed as soon as he reached it.

"What's wrong?" Cameron hovered. She didn't look happy that all his progress seemed to have gone down the toilet.

"My stomach hurts," her on and off boyfriend moaned, curling up.

"Joe," the young woman sat down beside him, "if you can't keep anything down, we need to take you back to hospital. You're gonna get dehydrated again."

"Water should work," he freaked. The show wasn't for doctors' eyes, they might see through it.

"I'll get your tablets as well. It's like you've not taken them at all if you've puked them out," she stood, leaving Joe wondering what has he done. Taking more of those pills was a bit quick as his whole digestive system was completely empty and the previous ones would probably take effect pretty soon as it was, but he had to go along with the farce now. It was good to see though that Cameron not as much as blinked at the slightly different shade of capsules, so he did know that part of the plan was going to work when he was given the items. Having drank half the glass of water as his lover insisted, he lay back with a sigh, a little apprehensive. "Let's try to sleep some," he suggested, knowing fine well it would not last long. "Are you coming?" He gestured questioningly with his head towards the bundle of papers that still lay on the floor.

Cameron nodded, looking at him concerned once more. Wearing nothing but one of his white shirts, she climbed into bed over him and settled behind him to spoon his curled up form, the soft skin of her thighs sliding to his bottom, hand sneaking forward to be placed on his toned belly. She deposited some kisses on the freckles on his shoulders before venturing, "are you going to tell me what's wrong with your stomach? Or is it still not my fucking business?" She teased.

Joe closed his eyes to revel in her kind treatment, her grazing fingers, her nibbling mouth. It wasn't something he had had the chance to enjoy much in his life. "I shouldn't kid myself and reason it away with just a stomachache anymore." Cameron hugged him tight for a moment, encouraging. It was time to bring out the big guns, he would have to explain his symptoms away with something anyway. "I used to have Crohn's disease. I thought it was gone."

"What's that?" She enquired, settling her head in his back. It wasn't her area of expertise, but she would find a book for herself to look it up even if he explained it.

"Inflammation of the digestive system, for no apparent reason. Stress is one of the guesses. It wasn't too severe though with me, so I guess it will pass."

"How quickly?" Cameron asked hopefully. Her fingers explored the hairs of his pleasure trail now and he had to remind himself that he wasn't supposed to get hard. Not with an alleged sore belly. It will be sore soon enough anyway.

"How long is a piece of string?" He called back apologetically.

Cameron she blew the air out disenchanted, "we'll get through it," she promised. There was a definite 'we' in there.

Tbc


	11. You Take Me Up

Chapter 11: You Take Me Up

It wasn't his one and only trip to the bathroom for sure, but Joe settled back into bed quickly to stop from shivering. His churning stomach was already doing a number on him and it seemed to have affected his entire body's ability to function normally. Joe shuffled close to Cameron so he could curl up, cramps giving him agony for real. He stuffed both fists into his midsection as it momentarily gave the appearance of some relief.

"You're all soaked in sweat again," his lover remarked, leaning on an elbow so she could place her other hand on his forehead.

"I'm sorry but I can't take a shower right now. I just need to lie here if that's ok," Joe pleaded. His insides rolled and burbled awfully.

"Is it that bad?" Cameron worried, offering a sympathetic smile. "Would it help if I rubbed it?"

"Possibly," he allowed. Not as if anybody else ever rubbed his stomach for him to know.

"Turn on your back so I can reach properly," the blonde suggested.

Easier said than done. Joe winced and more wiggled on the bed a bit rather than outright turned, trying to comply in a way that didn't send him straight back to the bathroom with the upheaval. Noticing his struggles, her hands moved to his chest and under his back, supporting him instinctively. It didn't help much physically, but it assured him of her fretfulness and it felt good. Joe moaned in response to the stirring of his insides, throwing his head back and trying to get comfortable. His hands remained on his belly, cradling his midsection very gently.

"Where does it hurt?" Cameron's hands hovered indecisively.

Joe sighed and moved his fingers perpendicularly over his belly button, "here, mostly," he groaned, "it doesn't want to stop.." He moved one hand higher and one hand lower to allow her access.

Cameron reached and tugged on the simple grey t shirt he was sleeping in to uncover his abdomen. Biting her bottom lip, she took a second to appreciate the flat and freckled plane of his stomach. The programmer had always loved touching him, touching him everywhere. The scars she loved especially, despite their origins, her fingers were always drawn to them as if spellbound. This time though she placed her hand down firmly on the area he had indicated earlier and pushed the heel of her palm in for starters, believing to have been gentle enough, but he winced and his stomach growled loudly as he felt as if his whole insides shifted. "Sorry!" She panicked and just let her hand lie on his abdomen for a bit. Since he just closed his eyes and didn't push her away, she featherlightly, gingerly glided her fingers round his belly button, very gently this time as not to further aggravate the cramping she felt under his skin.

"That's good," he assured her, so she travelled further, fingers searching up and down carefully and circling wider as she did so on his alternatingly soft and hard and noticeably empty tummy. "You can go a bit harder," he requested, "to work out the pain."

"I'll try," Cameron answered soothingly. She edged closer against him for a better room for manoeuvre and started to rub around alternatively gentle and more rough, mindful of his facial expressions and soft whimpers he couldn't supress when her fingers sank a little too deep. "Are you sure you want me to continue?" She fretted. There were definite low groans and long gurgles marking her ministrations that came from inside his digestive system.

"It feels real nice," he whispered, blinking up at her with a candid expression, frown smoothed over. "belly rubs are simply the best." Her soft hands, her palm against his navel did actually feel good. It didn't lessen the pain, but the continued touches took his mind away from it. It took some more silent minutes, but he finally started to feel relaxed, his exhaustion due to not eating for days helping him quieten. Somnolence taking over, he yawned, moving a hand up haphazardly to cover his mouth. It was a bad idea. Joe grunted at the aching gurgle that they movement caused and her hand already moved towards it to soothe it out so he assumed it would just be a momentary discomfort, but he was wrong. The aching deepened and turned into a full blowing cramp that made him hold his breath and swallow against the pain. Then several sharp, stabbing sensations in his gut later that made him break out in sweat, he knew he had to make it to the bathroom immediately. Knowingly, Cameron let him wriggle out from under her and his own hands took over the grappling his very upset tummy, hands he continuously tried to move up and down to soothe the agony while he took the time to close the door and pull down his trousers, during which he wondered if taking those laxatives was really worth her giving him attention. Miserable, he whimpered and panted, cramps not easing even when he was finished and knew there was nothing else there to expel.

Cameron knocked on the door a moment later, "Joe? I could come in if you need help?" She offered.

"Wouldn't be a nice experience," he flushed and stepped out, "I'm really sorry about all this," he grimaced, expression gloomy and sincere.

She looked up at him, studying his appearance carefully for clues to his wellbeing, "it's ok. I don't have to be here, it was my choice. I just want you to feel better," Cameron pulled him into her arms and hugged him. "Come lie down," she gently pulled him in the bed's direction. "How is your stomach now?"

"Still kind of terrible," he flinched apologetically. His guts burbled again loudly to confirm.

"The belly rub isn't really helping is it?"

"Not really," he admitted, climbing onto the matrass carefully in a way he didn't need to move his stomach muscles much.

She smiled sadly, "is this normal for that illness you've got?" The young woman took care following his lead as she climbed up after him.

"Unfortunately," he concentrated on taking even breaths to get his attention away from the agonizing roiling in his belly, "and it's not likely to go away any time soon. Food does that sometimes. When my stomach decides it needs rest, nothing agrees with me, it just churns around."

"You could've said so I don't forcefeed you!" Cameron complained.

"We both know you would've not accepted that," Joe protested.

"So what could we do?" The programmer probed, always a woman of action.

"You could continue the massage," he pleaded with a pained expression, indicating what he wanted her to do by rubbing small circles on his own belly. "I was missing your hands more than I was upset by having to run to the toilet. It will help me get comfortable."

Cameron nodded sympathetically and without sound, she pulled his arms away gently and mimicked his previous actions, the way he was touching his belly himself, not wanting to hurt him. The noises his stomach was still making worried her and so did the constricting of the wall of his abdomen or the whinges he tried to stifle. It was obvious he was not comfortable, and that he was worse than before as he squirmed and twisted and sometimes couldn't help but rub a few fingers over an area she wasn't touching at the time. But she just stroked and rubbed for a bit till he suddenly sat up, cradling his midsection with both arms, shaking his head, "ahhhh…" He leaned forward, gripping his offending body part rigidly, body trembling.

"I can't watch you in so much pain," Cameron frowned, "we should get you back to hospital."

"I'm used to severe pain," he tried, but the keening voice didn't help his case.

"Severe?" The young woman leaned closer to his face, alarmed. "How much pain are you in? Has it been this bad before?"

"Of course," he squeezed his eyes shot against the awful yanking of his intestines, "no reason to run to hospital cause of a little diarrhoea." But to the bathroom he did run, repeating the procedure from earlier, with the girl hovering by the door as before. "Are you sure? You don't look good," the woman nagged as soon as he entered the room, "is it getting better at all?"

"It's maybe stopped," he held his belly, assessing it, "it grumbles, but it doesn't cramp like it's gonna rip me in half," he sighed thankfully. Hopefully the laxatives have finished doing their thing cause he wasn't sure he could take much more of that.

"So you're feeling better?" She put a hand on his abdomen, hopefully as well.

"Yeah." He nodded tiredly, "I just want to sleep it off." Even if she left on her innovative ventures the next day. This whole charade was too draining, he would gladly give it up for the night. "Let's just rest," he directed them both in the direction of the bed.

"I'll get you some water, you need to drink," Cameron untangled herself, "lie down, I'll be a minute," she went to get a glass.

Joe didn't care much. The fact that moving didn't aggravate his stomach had to be a good sign. It almost didn't bother him at all at the moment. He closed his eyes, sighing. Lying there will be perfect in a moment once Cameron joins him, who had just come back with the previously stated item, alerting him to the fact by fingers softly tangling into his curls. "I don't want to sit up," he complained.

"Then just lean up on your elbow?" Cameron frowned admonishingly. If he wasn't so sick, she would laugh, he sounded like a baby. "Small mouthfuls," she reminded when he complied with her prior suggestion. Babying Joe wasn't as unfun as she thought it would be. "And take these," she held out some pills.

Joe spotted the items on her palm, horrified, "what?" He muttered, unnerved, despite himself.

"There have been more than four hours since you've taken a dose of anti-inflammatories," she explained, "which means you can take more. If you are really going to sleep, you need these to have time to work on you while you rest."

He held his mouth open for a while, grappling with himself for a bit. The fake anti-inflammatories were not a welcome sight, but if he had time to put his fingers down his throat after within the next few minutes it will all be ok. It will be out his system before it could do much harm. Not as if puking should surprise her. Having done as he was told, he sat the empty glass on the nightstand and sank back, waiting for her to settle behind her.

Cameron nestled, with little kisses to his shoulders and back of his neck. She didn't know it was desire that made him shiver, not sickness, but she pulled the covers over them all the same. He shifted so that he could look at her and sneaked out a hand to cup her cheek fondly and pull her towards himself for a kiss. It was so much pleasure meeting her lips it almost hurt, he cared for nobody like he cared for her affections. The kiss was light and it was shortly followed by a next one and a next one as he lazily fingered her hair and stroked her arm. It was how he imagined sleeping for eternity, dozing on and off, peppered with gentle kisses in between. He shouldn't forget going to the bathroom though to get rid of those pills before he falls properly asleep.

Tbc


	12. Hole in My Shoe

Chapter 12: Hole in My Shoe

As far as he could see, Cameron was still asleep and had not been alerted to his several trips to the bathroom so Joe tried to keep quiet this time. He couldn't remember his stomach ever hurting so much, not even when he was a kid, and it scared him a little. His deceits might turn out to be hard gambles if he was careless, like when he waited too long to go puke up those pills. Nothing but stomach acids came up and no matter how much he looked he could not find any pieces in it that looked like pills. They must've dissolved already and at least part of it must've been absorbed to wreak havoc on his already wrecked digestive system. Arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen, he shifted under the blanket, hoping for some sort of alleviation that didn't come. He just had to calm down, Joe tried to convince himself, and stay still as not to wake and worry Cameron into thinking she had to take him to hospital. It would have to be the paramedics too as walking didn't seem likely at the moment. But it would go away soon. He tried taking in deep breaths, it wasn't working, his guts cramped brutally this time. He even contemplated taking some of the right medication as he'd certainly overdone the rigging beforehand. For this, he tried to get up, felt faint when raising his head, hot, and the room span, encouraging a few overwhelming cramps from his by now very sore stomach. He would have wanted a belly rub, but at the moment he wasn't at all sure if that even would not set those cramps off again. He regretted the sham now, but there was nothing he could do, he just had to grit his teeth and wait. A very bad idea this had been, one he would not repeat. Those pills are changing places, back to their right positions as soon as he was able. This pain was unbearable. Has he overdone it to the extent he caused himself some actual harm? A whimper left his lips before he could stop himself, prompting the woman next to him to stir and reach a hand over to squeeze his am. "Joe?" She whispered, sitting up as she found him rigidly curled up and juddering. "What is it?"

Her boyfriend shook his head, wincing. He couldn't cope with it. He couldn't cope with talking, concentrating on keeping it under control, the pain in his stomach, the cramps that felt like acid washing his insides in cycles. "Joe?" Cameron would not let it lie, reaching out for his belly under his hands.

"Don't," he moaned, trying to protect his abdomen.

"You're a lot worse," the young woman established, "hospital. Now. You have two choices. I'm driving, or the ambulance."

"I can't right now, Cameron," he whispered, "just let me be."

"There's something wrong if it's that painful," she gave an exaggerated roll of the eyes, worry written across her face.

"I'm touched you're so concerned and I will go in half an hour if it doesn't settle," he promised. Doctors poking into his case was not a desirable outcome. "For now, I have you here to take care of me."

Cameron gave pause to the suggestion, considering, "okay. But only if you do as you're told at all times."

Joe frowned in defeat at her words, "not sure if I could do kinky right now."

"I want you to tell me what would help."

"Honestly, nothing. I just need to wait this out, keep as comfortable as possible in the meantime. I will be fine."

"Comfortable? Okay. But only for half an hour. Don't think I didn't check the clock," Cameron warned as she settled back down with the ORS water bottle she had prepared for him earlier after he heaved. The blonde sat higher on the pillows this time so she can draw his head onto her lap and offer him tiny sips of the liquid. He drew a sharp breath at the movement, but was otherwise thankful for the gesture. He needed the rehydration more than she would know, so he swallowed even though it felt cold and sloshed uncomfortably in his stomach, making him break sweat again.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" She ran her fingers through his damp, messy hair affectionately, perhaps unintentionally, instinctively.

"No!" He stated immediately, panicking. The last thing he wanted is more of the wrong pills. "What you're doing right now is just what the doctor ordered," he assured her.

"Did he now?" She paused to look down at him probingly, offering him more of the water.

"Well, they kept asking me about stress. This is the opposite of stress," he nuzzled his head into her thighs, finding it soothing. Maybe he just wasn't concentrating so much on the pain anymore, but maybe he was feeling a little better. "Keep going," he sighed drowsily. Any moment he wasn't in agony, he was ready to sleep. His face wasn't marred by pain right now, she noticed it too.

"Promise me you'll tell me if it gets worse again," Cameron insisted, knowing what a stubborn big ass he could be.

"Okay," he answered with a soft groan, looking half asleep.

Cameron watched him vigilantly, guardedly. The winces, the tightening of his fingers on his belly, the uncomfortable whimpers, his left leg pulling up a bit towards his stomach at the same time. Running her hand through his hair, she continued to caress him, make him comfortable in the way he wanted her to while trying to gauge his condition and not letting him away with not going to hospital if he didn't get any better, though soon she had to admit that his breathing evened out and his muscles relaxed noticeably. He still gave the occasional moan, pressing a hand into his stomach, but they became less frequent and the programmer started to get convinced Joe had fallen asleep. Her hand lulled too, her strokes of his hair slower till she stopped completely, letting him rest. For the moment, he looked peaceful and she sighed in relief. It was hard to believe how worried she became about him, how much she wanted to take care of him. It was crazy, "shit, I'm so in love with you," she mumbled, shaking her head. She wasn't aware that a particularly strong cramp just jostled him out of his dozing and he had heard her.

Tbc


	13. An Innocent Man

Chapter 13: An Innocent Man

Joe woke to Cameron's warm breath tickling the back of his neck, ruffling the fine hairs at his hairline and smiled. The sun shimmered through the blinds and high up on the walls, indicating it could've been as late as midday and yet his lover was still there with him, nuzzling into his wide back. The woman he was crazy about had inadvertently admitted to loving him, was going to stand by him and taking him on an amazing journey of discovery and innovation. He loved being with her. Could life get any better? The manager turned to stare at the dishevelled form lying next to him, allowing himself to enjoy the status quo. Joe would've wanted to stretch the moment, but he seriously and urgently needed to eat. He also needed to switch the pills back in case Cameron insisted on him taking some when she got up. Feeling a little weak from the lack of substantial nourishment over the last week, he moved slowly into the bathroom, but still dealt with what he set out to do.

However, his lover was sitting up in bed, looking up at him worriedly when he exited, "are you okay?"

"Good morning," he greeted her, "and yes, I am okay. Hungry, actually."

Cameron gave a relieved sigh, looking happy, "you're really feeling better?" She scrutinized him, looking into his eyes. "How is the pain?" It was endearing how worried she got about him last night, revealing her true feelings and her state of mind seemed to have spilled over into the morning.

Joe wanted to kiss her for that. "I'm a little tender," he rubbed a hand over his stomach, "like a ghost of a pain, you know. But not worse than that."

"Come here," Cameron patted the sheets.

"I'd rather go see how much bread and eggs we have left," he edged towards the living area.

"I will make breakfast in a minute," the girl posed, "you lie down."

"Do you even know how to make breakfast?" Joe wondered curiously, but did as told.

"I could probably just about manage to boil some eggs," she got hold of his hand and pulled him down once he was close, "though I did forget it on the stove a few times while I was working and there were some explosions." She pulled his t shirt up and placed a hand on his stomach, "I'm going to be the judge of how well you are," she incited teasingly.

"Go ahead," he consented. She used just one finger to circle his navel and she traced the pleasure trail before using the more and more of her fingers and palm to press down, first his lower abdomen and then the areas that really hurt him the night before, more challenging and provocative than the gentle touches she used to rub his belly before. "Does that hurt?" Cameron seemed to really want to check whether he was telling the truth.

"A little," he groaned.

"I couldn't as much as touch your stomach last night so I would call that progress," the blonde established. She proceeded to climb onto his thighs, lean forward and circle his belly button with her tongue while her hands pressed at his sides, then pushed the tongue forward, dipping deep and hard into his navel a few times rhythmically, like making love to his navel, heedful of his reaction.

"What kind of test is that?" He smirked. His stomach muscles did constrict, but his dick also reacted by making its presence with a bulge, pressing into her pussy through his boxers.

"You've passed. You can get breakfast," Cameron pressed a last, fleeting kiss on his belly, then stood nonchalantly as if nothing would've happened and sauntered out into the kitchen. She looked back once, with a smile, and something passed between them, that same spark that was fated to ignite and had several times in the past when they gazed into each other's eyes. Admiration and devotion from Joe, promise and a a sense of adventure only offered to him from Cameron, pieces that fit sometimes into an explosion, sometimes into a warm fire.

Joe had to take a few calming breaths before he could talk, "I'm going to miss your belly rubs if I get better."

"I have a lot of new ideas you might enjoy," the program writer imparted, opening the refrigerator, "for when you get better."

He didn't even need the additional incentive to stop the charade and start taking care of himself. Not much could go wrong when he had Cameron.

The End.


End file.
